Life
by In Love With Rin
Summary: Life. Its something that has moved everything living on earth today. And Matsuoka Rin is finally realizing the true value of life, after a tragedy has struck him. His daughter was diagnosed with a mysterious illness. She doesn't have much longer to live. Rin has always verbally abused her. Now he has to somehow, bond with her, before it's too late.
1. Small Lily

Rin is in his room. His small house in Iwatobi is just enough for the two of them. Himself, and his 16 year old daughter, Sayuri. He is now 35. Rin has become a swim coach for the Iwatobi High School Swim Team. His friends, Nanase Haruka, Tachibana Makoto, Hazuki Nagisa, and Ryukuzaki Rei, started it and made it last for all these years. Rin had to quit his dream of becoming a Olympic Swimmer because his wife was pregnant. However, when Sayuri was born, she left him. It all happened before Rin had turned 20. He has taken care of Sayuri even since.

Sayuri is a spitting image of her father. Long red hair that extends down to the middle of her back. Bright crimson eyes as well. Sayuri is a bright spirited girl. She always wanted to cheer up her father when ever he was sad. However, no matter how much she does, he ends up screaming at her to shut up and go away.

Sayuri has tried to cope with her fathers verbal abuse, but it makes her depressed. Once, he made her sit outside, with no jacket, in the freezing snow. He forgot about her and left out there all night. He found her under a nearby tree the next morning and forced her to go to school, only to be sent home an hour later. For 16 years, Sayuri has dealt with his yelling, cursing, everything. Even her friends are afraid to come over to her house to study just because. Once, Rin even said to her face, "I wish you were never born! Your life is a nuisance to me!" It was when she was 3. She could barely remember.

Their relationship is very thin. Rin will soon realize how beautiful his own daughters life will be once everything changes.

Sayuri walks up in her small side room of her house. She gets dressed into her Iwatobi uniform and grabs her cellphone. She walks out into the kitchen and opens the fridge. She wishes that one day her father would make her lunch, or breakfast. She makes a piece of toast to eat. She peeks into her father's room. He is fast asleep in his bed.

Her phone vibrates. Sayuri gets a text from her friend, Nanase Suzuki. Haruka's son. He was married not too long after he got out of highschool like Rin. Haruka knows of Rin's actions towards Sayuri, however he can't stop him. She would often stay at his house for some nights. Suzuki is very close with Sayuri. Rin hates him. When Suzuki came over to the house because it was raining, Rin made him leave and walk home in the freezing rain. Sayuri snuck out and brought him inside. She let Haruka know. Haruka was furious with his former friend. Haruka has tried his best to get Rin to care about Sayuri, he fails.

Sayuri reads the text, "Hey! Good morning. I'm waiting outside your house. Get here fast! Lol. My mother made a extra lunch today for you. Anyway, hurry up! I'm dying in this heat! QΔQ

-Suzuki

Sayuri smiles and finishes her toast. She walks outside to find the brown haired, blue eyed young man. He is wearing his Iwatobi Uniform. White, collared shirt with the Iwatobi crest on the breast pocket. A green and white spotted tie is neatly tied around his neck. His brown dress pants go down to his ankles. His hair is a little messy. Hair sticks up all around but in the front of his hair, bangs flow down to cover half of his forehead.

He smiles. "Hey Sayuri." Sayuri smiles back and runs up beside him. She nods. "Morning Suzuki." They know each other so much they use their first names.

They meet up with some of Suzuki's friends. Sentaro Yuki, and Nagato Sano. They chat for the majority of the time Suzuki and Sayuri are together.

The two walk to school like a normal school day. Sayuri waves goodbye to Nagato and Sentaro as she walks into her classroom with Suzuki. 2-B. They sit next to each other. Sayuri sits by the window. The desks are slid together. That's just how the sensei likes it.

When the classes start, Sayuri for some reason begins to feel a little dizzy. Her vision is turning fuzzy as she blinks her eyes. She places her hand on her forehead. It feels hot. But she continues to listen as much as she could to what the sensei was saying. But, she figured that since she was in the back of the room, on one would know if she slept in class. So she lays her head down on the desk, but she was dragged into a deep sleep.

Suzuki looks over at Sayuri as she falls asleep. He smiles and listens.

Class is over and now its time for lunch. Suzuki goes to the restroom and leaves Sayuri there. Little does he know it's more serious then he thinks.

The classes homeroom teacher walks into the room. Its a girl. Mrs. Amakata. She notices Sayuri sleeping in the back. She sighs and walks over to her. She taps her shoulder.

"Matsuoka-chan? Matsuoka-chan?" She isn't answering. Sayuri doesn't move a muscle. She begins to shake Sayuri. "Matsuoka? Hey! Wake up!" Everyone who is eating in the classroom turn to look at Sayuri. She still won't wake up. Mrs. Amakata feels her head. "She is burning up! He is also breathing heavily. We need the nurse! Now!" One of the students run down the hall and brings the nurse.

The nurse examines her. Once she is done, she shakes her head. "There is more then one problem here. Her heart is beating rapidly. Her breathing is weak. She has a fever to top it all off. And a high one. Over 102 degrees. We need to take her to the hospital. All of this doesn't seem clear. No one can survive long with that kind of fever."

Rin gets a call on his cell. He groans and answers it.

"What?", he says. "Are you Matsuoka-san?", a man says on the other line. He sounds old. Rin sighs. "Who else should it be..." The man clears his throat. "Your daughter..." Rin laughs. "What? Has she finally agreed to move out? I would be happy to help her pack!", Rin says jokingly. "This is a serious situation sir. You need to come here right away." Rin laughs more. "And leave home? Why? What's the problem now?"

The man sighs, "Your daughter... She has a mysterious illness. No one has ever seen this before. It looks like a virus but we have identified it as a disease. We have no idea how to treat it. Within the next few months, your daughter will become very weak, and frail. It may come to a point where she won't be able to walk. But... sadly, she won't last until her next birthday if we don't come up with a cure. We are researching the cause. Come down as soon as you can..."

So? How is it? I have been listening to a few sad utaite songs so... it sparked this idea. Omg I'm terrible! I have to write something happy!


	2. Crushing News

Suzuki is still in the restroom. He was texting one of his friends and got distracted. About 15 minutes later, he finally walks back to class. When he reaches the hallway, he notices people carrying out someone in a stretcher.

"Who is that?", he asks himself out loud. He walks a little faster. Once he gets the classroom, he looks around for Sayuri. She isn't there. He runs to one of the boys and grabs his shoulders. "Where is Sayuri?!", he screams. The boy steps back. "Matsuoka-chan? She was taken to the hospital. She has some type of illness. A professional came here and told sensei that. I guess its some incurable disease."

Suzuki's arms lower. The fall limply to his side. His head falls as well. The boy continues, "Um... The doctor guy called her dad. I think it was Coach Matsuoka." When Suzuki hears that name, his eyes burst with fury. His aqua blue eyes become dark. "Um... Nanase-san?", the boy says confused. Suzuki runs out of the building with tears rushing out of his eyes. They are escaping by blowing behind him from the wind. What will he do... Suzuki is lost in thought as he runs helplessly to the hospital.

Haruka is sitting in his living room watching T.v. He doesn't have work until later that day. His wife, Mizuki Nanase is sitting next to him while holding his hand. They met their last year in highschool. His cell phone gets a call. For a little he let's it ring. His wife nudges him. "You know, you have to grow out of old habits." He smiles and answers. "Dad..." Haruka becomes worried. "Suzuki? What's wrong?" He can hear his sons helpless sniffling on the end. "It's Sayuri..." Haruka's eyes become more worrisome. "What is it?" Mizuki looks at her worried husband. "She is in the hospital...", Suzuki says. "I will be right there..." Haruka closes his phone and stands.

"Mizuki. Stay here. I need to go somewhere." Mizuki stands as well. "What is it?" Haruka sighs, "Something is wrong with Sayuri. Suzuki was crying... He never does. Its the first time since he was 8. I have to leave to see the two. I'm sure Rin..." With that name mentioned, he stops. His wife nods. "I understand. Go ahead." Haruka smiles and kisses Mizuki on the forehead. He walks out and makes his way form the hospital. On his way there, he sees Rin standing under a tree. It looks like the one Sayuri slept under that night. Haruka walks over to Rin. "So... do you regret your ways?", Haruka starts. "What do you want Haru?" Rin turns and his eyes are misty. "Well?!" Haruka is getting angry. Rin ignore him and lights up a cigarette. Haruka gains a burst of anger. He storms away leaving Rin behind. 'Could it be him who caused this...?' He thinks to himself.

Haruka arrives at the hospital. He looks around for Suzuki. He sees him in a seat on the far left alone. He walks over to his son and sits. Suzuki looks up at his father. His eyes are filled with tears. Suzuki could never cry in front of anyone. This is the first in a while. All Haruka could do was comfort his son.

After a few hours, a doctor walks out. He looks around.

"Is there anyone looking for Matsuoka Sayuri? I am looking for the family only." Haruka stands. The doctor spots him and walks over to him. "Are you the father?" Haruka shakes his head. "I'm the closest one she has..." The doctor sighs. "Follow me. Bring the boy as well. I can tell he is your son." Haruka nods and Suzuki stands and follows his father and the doctor to a room.

When they enter, there is a slight breeze. Sayuri is in a bed. Her face is pale and lifeless. Suzuki runs over to her bedside and kneels down. He grabs her hand and begins to sob once more. The doctor stands with Haruka in the back of the room. "Her condition seems to be getting worse by the hour. Her extremely high temperature is causing this. But, there seems to be more then that. No one knows it. High fever and surviving. High heart rate, then the next a low heart rate... It all doesn't come together. What would be the cause of this? Would you know?" Haruka clenches his fists together. "I have a good guess..." The doctor looks at Haruka. "You do?! Tell me!" Haruka looks down at the floor.

"Her father... Matsuoka Rin... He is verbally abusive towards her. He comes to my house some nights just to find a better place to sleep. Its terrible. She copes with it everyday. He drinks and smokes. He has been like that since she was born. I always worried about her health..." The doctor sighs.

"Well... im afraid... she doesn't have long to live. She may seem like she is just sick, but she truly is suffering. Her physical state is weakening by the hour. Soon, she won't be able to do anything... This disease is something we never heard of... We have to make her as comfortable as possible. Then when she wakes I will let her know..."


	3. Heartbreak

Sayuri opens her eyes. Its dark in the room she is laying in. When she looks to her side, she sees Suzuki asleep by her side. She feels something gripping her hand. Suzuki... She weakly squeezes his hand. His eyes flick open. "Sayuri?", he says in a tired tone. Sayuri smiles. Suzuki immediately begins to cry. Haruka is also there. He is wide awake. Sayuri looks around. She mutters something.

"Where's... dad?" Suzuki looks up at Haruka as he sighs. "I'm afraid he might not be coming... I tried to call him but he never picked up...", Haruka explains. But what the doctor said hours before clicks into his mind.

"She doesn't have long to live..." Those words stab at Haruka's heart like a million bullets. He must tell her... but how... his own son will be sure to be as affected as himself was. But just a little worse. How will he inform them... He has no choice but to give the crushing news to the two teens. His own tears surface before he speaks a words.

"Sayuri... I'm sorry but..." Suzuki looks over at his dad. Haruka can't help but cry... "The doctor informed me that... You... you won't survive this..." His tears are now streaming down his cheeks. The girl who he thought if as a daughter, is going to die...

Suzuki's eyes widen. "Wha... Your not serious right?" Haruka stares his son straight in the eyes. When their sad blue eyes meet, Suzuki finally understands... He looks down to the ground. Sayuri sits up and actually begins to quietly sob. Haruka walks over to her and hugs her. Sayuri is taken by surprise.

"Father...", she mumbles. Haruka can understand what she is thinking. He truly feels sorry for her and his son. But the doctor also informed him that they called Rin and told him. They said he hung up. Haruka wonders how he reacted. Did he finally get some sense knocked into him? Or did he ignore it and go on with his suckish life he lives... Haruka needs to speak with him when Sayuri is allowed to go home. The doctor said she would be able to if she wanted. But Haruka is fearful of what he might do...

Sayuri cries into Haruka's chest. She could never cry openly in front of her father... But to feel a fathers warmth for the first time, is making Sayuri even more longing for her father. Her own father...

Rin wakes up the next morning feeling a pain in his back. He got drunk last night and broke a few windows in Sayuri's room. He already called to get them fixed but he spent the last of his money for the drinks. He has to get up for work. Its Wednesday. He had a day off yesterday. He gets dressed and heads outside.

Its cold and rainy. He puts up his hood and walks. As he is walking, he thinks about Sayuri. The doctor told him that Sayuri didn't have much longer. What does that even mean? Is she going to die or be taken away? Rin smirks at himself.

When he enters the school, he notices people are walking in the same direction. It looks like they are heading for the auditorium. Rin sighs and follows them. The kids have a somewhat sad expression on their faces. When he enters, there is the principal standing on the stage also with a sad expression. Rin stands in the back and listens.

"Now... I'm sure all of you heard what has happened yesterday afternoon. A second year student has collapsed during the lunch hour. She was taken to the hospital and examined. And... as a result... I'm afraid they have told us that she doesn't have long to live." Murmurs spread around the auditorium. Rin realizes who they are talking about. Sayuri... As he begins to walk out, people start glaring at him like he did something wrong. She once again smirks and walks out of the door.

Rin bumps into someone. "Oh excuse m-", Rin starts until he sees the victims face. "Suzuki?" Suzuki looks up at Rin. His blue eyes are dark and scary to look at. "What's your problem kid?", Rin says. Suzuki says nothing. "Well?! Answer me!", Rin screams. Students look out towards the commotion. Suzuki finally says, "You're the problem..." Rin steps forward. "What?" Suzuki steps forward to meet Rin's gaze. "You know what I mean... It's your fault Sayuri is sick. The doctor told me and my father that this was caused by years of stress and depression! And we all know who it was from don't we?"

The students gasp. And countless murmurs explode throughout the school. Rin takes Suzuki's shirt collar and lifts him up into the air. Suzuki doesn't even flinch. "What do you know? You are just a kid. What do you know about what I do?" Suzuki looks up. "We have seen it, my dad and me. Do you honestly think that that haven't done anything to hurt her?" Rin laughs. "You really think I have laid a finger on her?"

Suzuki looks back at Rin and lands a sharp punch to Rin's nose. He flinches and let's go of Suzuki to hold his nose. Suzuki lands on the ground with a hard bang. His arm sends a signal to his brain to tell him its broken. Suzuki screams in agony as his arm throbs with pain. A few male students come to help him up. Rin steps back and looks around. Student as well as teachers are staring at Rin. The principal runs out of the auditorium and looks Rin straight in the eyes. "You done here. You won't work here any longer. Your done here. Leave now." Rin stares at his former boss and laughs. He leaves.

なぜ行くところに物事の方法？

( Why go so far to get things your way?)


	4. Perspective

Rin is now at his lonely house. It has been empty for the past few days. He hasn't even bothered to visit the hospital. He ignored all of the calls he got from Haru. He could care less. It gets Sayuri out of his hair. After 16 years finally, he gets some free time. However, he is beginning to feel a pang of regret...

Rin gets a call on his phone again! He clicks his tongue and looks at the caller.

Matsuoka Sayuri

He sighs and picks up the phone.

"Yeah..."

"Father...", says a weak sounding voice. It must be Sayuri.

"What?", Rin says in a impatient voice.

"I can get out tomorrow if I want... I do really badly. I want to see you..."

Rin's eyes widen a little. After all he did to her, she still seems accepting dispute of what he did. He snorts and begins to say something before the phone was interrupted by a sickening cough. He hears someone say, "Sayuri? Are you okay?", in the background. Rin decides to wait for a response. He taps his fingers on the wood floor he is sitting on. He is beginning to become impatient.

"Hello?!", Rin yells.

"Don't worry... I'm fine guys. I just have a sore throat." He hears a sigh. Then Haru's voice.

"Your not fine. You should rest as much as possible." Then he hears the phone hang up. Rin throws his phone across the room and it hits the wall and shatters into pieces. Why is Haru worried about her? Isn't that his own job? Then again, he doesn't do that anyway...

At the hospital...

Haruka is still sitting in the chair. He has been for the past few days. Watching over Sayuri. Suzuki has fallen asleep on the sheets of her bed. His son has been worried about her. He can't blame him after the news they found out. Knowing that she is going to die, brings sadness that spreads through Iwatobi. The school has found out. Haruka never found out about the incident in the school involving Rin. He is about to...

Someone knocks on the door. Sayuri believes it is her father. But Haruka can't bet on it. He opens the door and the principal of Iwatobi steps in. Sayuri's eyes droop and she looks back out the window. The man sighs and asks Haruka to step out of the room to talk with principal, who was once young when Haruka used to attend the highschool, is now older.

"I was sure that after what Matsuoka-San did, he would at least be here..." Haruka looks at the principal with a confused gaze. "What happened?" The man sighs again. "He laid a hand on one of our students... Your son. Suzuki..." Haruka's eyes widen and turn into a angry glare. Rin put his hands on Haruka's son?! Why?! What buissness does he have to do that?! Haruka punches the wall and makes the wall vibrate with the impact. His knuckles are brused and bleeding on his left hand. The principal flinches back.

"I can see Suzuki hasn't said anything. Well... I fired him. We all know why Sayuri is sick. Well... The staff anyway. We won't tell the students unless we get permission from her first." Haruka is still dumbfounded because he didn't know that Suzuki was tormented by Rin. Haruka nods. "I will ask her. She was hoping that you were her father. Rin hasn't come to visit her yet. She only has a little time left. The doctors said they had tried everything. They can't save her. She is allowed to go home if she wants tomorrow. But, I don't think it would be a good idea..."

The principal nods. "I would agree. But... It's what she wants. If she wants to die with her father in the same place, let her. I don't blame her. She wants to spend her last days with her father even though he doesn't care for her. She is a nice girl. I thought she would grow up to be a great person. But..." The man pats Haruka's shoulder. "Just let her do what she wants." The principal walks away. But he turns back and smiles. "Let me know what she says about telling the students. Oh... And, you have grown into a fine young man Haruka." He finally exits.

Sayuri is facing the wall. Her heart aches from being sick, and loneliness. She wants her father so bad, but she has given up hope. Maybe he doesn't care that she is going to die soon... Her body has already gotten so weak, that she she can't walk on her own. She feels so useless. Haruka and Suzuki have been helping her so much. She can't even repay them with buying the two ice cream or a outing to a restaurant where they serve sea food like sushi or mackerel like she used to. Now she is a crippled useless soul, waiting to die. It's like a older person in there final days. Looking out the window, wondering how their lives could have been lived differently. But, she has a month or so left. Sayuri's physical state is deteriorating slowly as she breathes. Now, its just a matter of time before she passes...

Suzuki is lost in thought about what happened with Rin. After we woke up, his father was talking to someone outside. Then when he came back, he asked Sayuri if it was alright for the principal to tell the students the reason why she is sick, however, surprisingly, she rejected it. She said she didnt want her dad to be put on the spot. Why? Suzuki doesn't understand why she is defending her father like that. He has been terrible to her for years. And all of a sudden, she is on his side! It make Suzuki furious. His father seem to feel the same way... What will happen of she goes home tomorrow?

A/N: I appreciate the follows and favorite of this story. Thank you! I would like a review please? I just want to know how I have been doing. Anyway, I have got a Google+ now. Search my name if you want on Google. Thanks :-D


	5. Question

(This chapter is a little dark. It shows the true side of Rin. A really bad side to a semi good side)

The day has come. Sayuri is allowed to go home if she pleases to spend her last weeks with her father? And of course, she has agreed to go. Suzuki and Haruka are outraged because of this decision, but it is her choice. They can't prevent her to do anything...

Sayuri is carried out of the hospital. She refused to be rolled around in a wheelchair. She felt her father would treat her like more of a nuisance. Haruka has her on his back. She is panting. She has a high fever and it hasn't went down. Sayuri's body heat is pulsing. Haruka and feel it through his shirt.

Haruka knocks on Rin's door. Suzuki stays behind. He already said his goodbye to Sayuri but he will be back to visit every day. But, he doesn't know how much longer she has. Rin opens the door and a rush of foul smelling smoke rushes into Haruka's nose, making him cough.

"Oh is it that day already? Aw man... Now I have to put up with this..." Haruka grinds his teeth and tries to keep himself together. "Rin... You understand that she is dying right? With the smoke, death can come quicker. You need to quit." Rin smirks. "Ha! Yeah right..." Then when he spots Sayuri's small, pale body, he seems to feel something in his chest... What is it? Regret? Sorrow? Pain? He can't seem to push any emotions out of his black heart.

Haruka let's himself in and looks for Sayuri's room. But, when he gets there, the room is completely empty. No possessions are seen. No furniture or objects. Just a empty room. Haruka gets furious. He sold all of her stuff?! Rin steps in the room.

"Ah. I didn't sell her things, I just made space in this room. She is going to die anyways." Haruka rages. He tries to keep calm so he doesn't hurt Sayuri. "So where is she going to sleep..." Rin looks around the empty room. "That's a good question..." Haruka walks away from Rin. He looks in Rin's room. There is a extra futon folded up in the corner.

Rin enters and gives Haruka a disgusted look when he figures out Haruka's motives. Before Rin says anything, Haruka raises his voice. "This is where she is going to sleep whether you like it or not. Now..." He looks down to the wood floor. "Set up the futon." Rin let's out a slight chuckle.

"You really think you can make me do that? Who are you my dad? Oh wait? He died a long time ago.", Rin replied. Haruka's emotions are about to get the best of him as a stray tear falls onto the floor. He decides to set up the futon himself. He carefully sets Sayuri down next to Rin's bed and prepares it the best he can. Once he has finished, he covers Sayuri up in the warm futon and places a fan next to her so her fever wouldn't get worse. Rin looks impressed.

Haruka turns back to look at Rin and leads him out to the hallway. Before Rin can say something sarcastic again, a loud crack is heard. Haruka has taken all of his bottled up anger and finally took it out on Rin. Rin looks astonished. He is holding his red hot cheek. "What was that for Haru?!"

Haruka already knows what he will say. He was wanted to have this conversation with Rin... About Sayuri. "Your daughter is dying. She didn't want to stay in the hospital so she could see you. And what do you do? Continue smoking, basically selling her stuff, and not giving a care in the world about her!" Haruka looks down at his feet. "Sayuri actually wants to spend her days getting to know her father." Haruka takes a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and holds it out for Rin to take. "This, is a list of questions Sayuri has written out. All of these questions, better be answered... No matter what it is.."

Rin stares at the paper. Ultimately, he takes it. When he does, Haruka leaves Rin's house, without another word. Rin holds the paper before he decides to unfold it. Just as Haruka said, it was a list of questions. Rin reads it over.

▪What was mother like?

▪Are you still friends with Haruka?

▪Why don't you like Suzuki?

▪How come you stopped swimming?

▪Do you love me?

The last question, struck Rin's heart like a sickle. Does he?


End file.
